Ventilated boot



Filed July 14, 1952 3 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR BY @ahw-v.

ATTORNEYS.

March 15,*1955 J. l.. McGlNN 2,703,937

VENTILATED BOOT Filed July 14, 1952 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 V W w w W L77z7LZ. ZZc6Zi7z7z INVENTOR BY ,//f/l l v l ATTORNEYS March l5, 1955 J. L. MCGINN VENTILATED BOOT 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed July 14, 1952 Jhnl; 2k6-Zinn INVENTOR i ATTORNEYS,

United States Patent O VENTILATED BOOT John L. McGinn, ArlingtomvVa. Application July 14, 1952, Serial No. 298,679

2 Claims. (Cl. 36-3) This invention relates to a boot, and more particularly to a boot of the type employed by combat troops, paratroopers, and others engaged in activities where protection from extreme temperatures is required.

Combat troops, paratroopers and others engaged in like occupations are subject to extreme temperature changes in which the feet in particular are subject to injury by freezing.

The primary object of this invention is to prevent the freezing of the extremities of combat troops or paratroopers and to assure the circulation of air from normally warm portions of the body of the user around the lower extremities of the limbs of the user.

Another object is to produce such circulation by the normal walking of the user.

The above and other objects may be attained by employing this invention which embodies among its features a boot having an outer heel and outer sole, an upper carried by the heel and sole and a leg encircling portion carried by the upper, spaced ribs carried by the boot upper and by the leg encircling portion of the boot and projecting inwardly therefrom, an insole carried by the ribs adjacent and in spaced relation to the heel and sole portions of the boot, and a felt lining within the boot and engaging the ribs to define with the walls of the ribs spaced ducts which communicate with the space between the insole and the sole and heel of the boot so that the motion of the foot of the wearer Within the boot while walking will flex the insole and cause the air between the insole and the heel and sole of the boot to be circulated through the ducts.

Other features include spaced ribs on the felt lining for entrance into the spaces between the ribs on the boot to define with the spaces between the ribs of the boot ducts, which communicate with the space between the insole and the heel and outer sole, and spaced openings extending through the ribs and communicating with the ducts.

In the drawings,

Fig. 1 is a side view of a boot embodying the features of this invention,

Fig. 2 is a horizontal sectional view taken substantially on the line 2 2 of Fig. 1,

Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view taken substantially on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2,

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary sectional view taken substantially on the line 4-4 of Fig. 1, and

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary enlarged horizontal sectional view through the boot leg.

Referring to the drawings in detail a boot designated generally comprises a heel portion 12 to which is joined a sole portion 14 and connected to the heel and sole portions 12 and 14 is a conventional boot upper 16 which carries and from which projects upwardly a leg encircling portion 18. Spaced longitudinally extending ribs are carried by the leg encircling portion 18 and boot upper 16 and project inwardly therefrom to define between them spaced grooves 22. Carried by the ribs 20 adjacent their lower ends is an insole 24 which as illustrated in Fig. 3 s spaced from the heel portion 12 and sole 14 to define a space 26 which communicates with the spaces 22 defined between the ribs 20. Extending through the ribs 20 yand communicating with the spaces 22 on opposite sides thereof are longitudinally spaced openings 28 which establish communication ICC between adjacent recesses 22 as will be readily understood upon reference to the drawings.

Fitted within the boot is a lining designated generally 30 which is preferably of felt or like flexible insulating material. This lining comprises a body portion 32 shaped to conform to the foot of the user and has a sole portion 34 which is adapted to rest on the insole 24 of the boot. The sole portion 34 is integral with the body 32 and this body is provided with an upper portion, and a leg encircling portion conforming generally with the structure previously described. Carried by the upper portion and leg encircling portion of the body 32 are outwardly extending ribs 36 which are adapted to enter the spaces 22 between the ribs 20 and to define with the walls of the ribs and the upper and leg encircling portions v16 and 18 of the boot ducts 38 which com municate at their lower ends with the space 26 between the heel 12, sole 14 and insole 24. It will thus be seen that as the insole 24 is flexed through the walking of the person wearing the boot, the air in the space 26 Will be circulated through the ducts 38 into and out of the area immediately above the top of the boot.

Suitable eyes 40 are secured to the leg encircling portion of the boot intermediate the ends thereof and are adapted to receive the lacing by which a trouser leg may be tightly bound around the upper end of the boot so as to establish communication between the space 26 and the interior of the trouser leg. In this way the air contained within the trouser leg which has been warmed by the trunk and upper portions of the legs of the user can be alternately pumped into and out of the space 26 so as to warm the foot and avoid the freezing thereof.

While in the foregoing there has been shown and described the preferred embodiment of this invention it is to be understood that minor changes in the details of construction combination and arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as claimed.

What is claimed is:

l. In a boot having an outer heel, an outer sole, an upper carried by the heel and sole and a leg encircling portion carried by the upper, means for circulating air around the foot of the wearer and venting the boot into a trouser leg encircling the top of the boot, said means comprising spaced apart longitudinally extending ribs carried by the upper and by the leg encircling portion of the boot and extending inwardly therefrom, an insole carried by the ribs within the boot and extending above and in spaced relation to the outer heel and outer sole,

of the boot with the spaces between the ribs communicating with the space between the insole and the outer sole and heel of the boot, a porous lining within the boot and spaced' ribs carried by the lining and extending'partially into the spaces between the ribs on the upper and on the leg encircling portion to cooperate therewith in forming therebetween air ducts which communicate with the space below the insole and open through the top of the boot. 2. The structure defined in claim 1 in which the ribs have longitudinally spaced transverse openings between the upper, said leg encircling portion and said lining extending therethrough and opening into the ducts.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 250,114 Waite Nov. 29, 1881 518,579 Annenberg et al Apr. 24, 1894 757,424 Vohl Apr. 12, 1904 906,061 Nolen Dec. 8, 1908 1,213,941 Patrick Ian. 30, 1917 1,282,915 Nadolski Oct. 29, 1918 1,885,327 Burnham Nov. 1, 1932 1,902,780 Holden et al Mar. 21, 1933 2,480,035 Lindstrom Aug. 23, 1949 FOREIGN PATENTS 105,616 Great Britain Apr. 20, 1917 243,979 Germany May 10, 1911 

